Palin’s Political Viability Plunges

A new survey finds that Sarah Palin's popularity is waning with likely Republican voters.

When provided with a list of five candidates likely to run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Palin ranks third, according to Rasmussen Reports.

Twenty-nine percent of GOP voters claim they would vote for Mike Huckabee, while 24% prefer Mitt Romney and 18% Palin.

In July, Rasmussen Reports found that the candidates were in a near three-way tie: 25% favoring Romney, 24% Palin, and 22% Huckabee.

Not only is Palin's popularity dipping, but the polarizing former governor is the candidate Republicans would least prefer to see win the nomination.

Twenty-one percent of primary voters claim Palin is the GOP candidate they would least like to see win the party's presidential nomination. Just 9% say the same of Romney, and 8% feel that way about Huckabee, according to the national telephone survey.

Where Palin retains her stronghold is with Evangelical Christians.

Despite falling behind both Romney and Huckabee in head-to-head competitions, Palin leads Romney by 14 points, 52% to 38%, among Republican voters who identify themselves as Evangelical Christians.

Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.